Happy Friday, 865!

This week’s issue is all about change across East Tennessee — from major construction around Neyland Stadium and a new long-term traffic pattern in Blount County to fresh business openings, new investment in Oak Ridge, and UT’s push to help local employers prepare for an AI-driven workforce.

We’ve also got plenty for the weekend: local festivals, Farragut events, BOO! at the Zoo, Oktoberfest at Ober Mountain, fall color ideas, Smokies trail updates, and a few quieter ways to enjoy the season without fighting the biggest crowds.

New to 865 Daily? We’re your local guide to the news, openings, community changes, weekend plans, outdoor ideas, and useful updates shaping Knoxville, Maryville, Oak Ridge, Farragut, the Smokies, and surrounding East Tennessee communities. Thanks for spending part of your Friday with us.

Regas Bros Seasoning

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Vols Head to Arkansas After Auburn Win

Tennessee is back on the road this weekend after a 24-14 win over Auburn at Neyland Stadium.

The Vols enter Saturday’s game at 4-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play and will face Arkansas at 4:15 p.m. ET in Fayetteville. The game will air on SEC Network.

This will be Tennessee’s first SEC road game of the season and another test for a team trying to build momentum after bouncing back from its loss to Texas.

Arkansas enters the matchup at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in conference play. Tennessee has also struggled historically in Fayetteville, where the Vols have not won since 2001.

After Saturday, Tennessee returns home for a major matchup with Alabama on Oct. 17. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET at Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee at Arkansas
Saturday, Oct. 10
4:15 p.m. ET
Fayetteville, Arkansas
TV: SEC Network

Early Voting Opens Oct. 14 in Knox County

Knox County voters will soon have their first chance to cast ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.

Early voting begins Wednesday, Oct. 14, and continues through Thursday, Oct. 29. Registered Knox County voters can use any designated early voting location in the county during the posted hours.

The voter registration deadline for this election was Oct. 5, so new registrations and address changes for the Nov. 3 election are now closed.

Hours vary by location and by day, so voters should check the current schedule before heading out. The Downtown City-County Building, for example, opens from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 14, while other dates use shorter hours.

For residents who prefer to avoid Election Day crowds, early voting offers a two-week window to cast a ballot before Nov. 3.

Maryville Utility Customers May Need to Re-Enroll in AutoPay

Maryville utility customers should watch for changes as the city transitions to a new billing system and online customer portal.

The city says some notification letters tied to the change were sent to incorrect addresses, while other customers did not receive a letter. Officials are working to correct the mailing problems and resend notices.

The issue is connected to the billing-system transition, not a scam notice.

One of the most important changes for customers is AutoPay. After the new portal launches, previously scheduled automatic payments will no longer continue automatically, meaning customers who use AutoPay will need to register in the new system and enroll again.

The city is advising customers to review their billing information carefully during the transition because billing and automatic-payment dates may also change.

Anyone with questions can contact Maryville Customer Service at 865-273-3456.

Quote Of The Day

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”

— Albert Camus

UT Enrollment Hits Another Record as Campus Growth Continues

The University of Tennessee has reached another enrollment milestone, with 41,287 students enrolled this fall as the Knoxville campus continues a broader period of expansion.

UT also reported a 93.1% first-year retention rate, meaning a larger share of students are returning after their freshman year.

The growth is visible well beyond enrollment numbers.

Major construction is underway across campus, including the 865 Neyland entertainment district near Neyland Stadium along with additional academic and athletic projects.

For Knoxville, that continued expansion has effects beyond the university itself. A larger student population can influence housing demand, traffic, retail activity and employment around campus and nearby neighborhoods.

UT’s latest numbers reinforce a larger trend: the university is not only growing, but continuing to reshape a significant part of Knoxville in the process.

Knox County Ends Use of Fixed Flock Cameras

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office has ended its use of fixed Flock license plate reader cameras, closing out a program that had placed more than 140 cameras across the county.

County officials say the sheriff’s office has stopped purchasing, leasing, installing, operating and maintaining the fixed cameras.

As of Oct. 7, 141 of 143 cameras had been physically removed, while the final two had been covered and were no longer tracking vehicles.

The cameras were designed to capture license plate information and vehicle details that could be used in law-enforcement investigations.

The latest update gives residents a clearer picture of the program’s status: the fixed camera network is no longer operating in Knox County.

For now, the main change is straightforward — the sheriff’s office is no longer using the fixed Flock camera system, and nearly all of the equipment has been taken down.

BOO! at the Zoo Continues Through Oct. 30

families several more chances to fit in a Halloween outing before the end of the month.

The evening event runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m. and includes trick-or-treating, carnival-style games, seasonal activities and the new HallowGlow Forest immersive light experience.

This year’s event also features a temporary exhibit with adoptable black cats from Young-Williams Animal Center.

If opening weekend slipped past you, there is still plenty of time to go — but advance planning is a good idea as popular nights can draw larger crowds.

Interesting Facts

• Marble City, technically: The stone that gave Knoxville its “Marble City” nickname is geologically limestone. Its color and ability to take a polish made it popular as architectural “Tennessee marble.”
• Summit Hill was once “Gallows Hill”: Before the Civil War, the downtown Knoxville rise now crossed by Summit Hill Drive was known as Gallows Hill because public executions were carried out there.
• Alcoa was literally built around the aluminum company: The city was chartered in 1919 after the Aluminum Company of America bought land in what had been known as North Maryville. The company name eventually became the city name.
• New Deal headquarters: The Tennessee Valley Authority, created in 1933, established its headquarters in Knoxville.

Oktoberfest at Ober Mountain Continues Through Nov. 1

There’s still plenty of time to catch Oktoberfest at Ober Mountain in Gatlinburg.

The month-long celebration continues through Nov. 1, with live music, Bavarian-style food, stein-holding contests and other seasonal activities throughout the run.

For anyone heading to the Smokies this fall, it’s an easy add-on to a Gatlinburg day trip — especially if you want mountain views, cooler weather and a little Oktoberfest atmosphere without having to plan around a single weekend.

If you missed opening weekend, the event is still going strong through the end of October and into the first day of November.

This newsletter sponsored by

Morning Grace Daily

Start your morning with a little more peace, hope, and encouragement. Morning Grace Daily offers faith-filled inspiration designed to help you begin the day grounded in what matters most.

Visit the website for uplifting daily devotionals, then join the Facebook group to connect with others who are starting their mornings with faith, reflection, and encouragement.

A few quiet minutes each morning can help set the tone for the whole day.

Big Slate Moves Into Marble City Studios on North Broadway

House of Strays Opens in Knoxville’s Old City

Knoxville’s Old City has a new nightlife option with the opening of House of Strays at 205 Jackson Ave.

The bar opened Oct. 7 with a vintage, theater-inspired atmosphere, serving cocktails and light snacks in a space designed to feel a little different from a standard downtown bar.

House of Strays also plans to add live performances and recurring entertainment, giving the venue a broader arts-and-nightlife angle as it settles into the neighborhood.

For the Old City, the opening adds another independent concept to Jackson Avenue and gives downtown visitors a new spot to check out for drinks, atmosphere and future programming.

Farragut Resident Launches Raintree & Company

Farragut’s small-business scene has a new locally owned addition with the launch of Raintree & Company, a fragrance-focused business started by resident Susan Brooks.

The company offers a range of scented home and personal-care products, including cleaners, detergents, hand soap and carpet deodorizer.

While Raintree & Company is not a traditional storefront opening, it adds another homegrown business to Farragut’s growing mix of local entrepreneurs and specialty brands.

For residents who like supporting small businesses close to home, it’s another name to watch as the company builds its customer base and product line.

Road Work to Watch Across the 865

Several ongoing road projects are worth keeping on the radar this week, especially for drivers moving through Knoxville and the surrounding 865 area.

The most visible change is around Neyland Stadium, where demolition of the G10 garage and construction tied to the new 865 Neyland entertainment district are changing traffic and pedestrian patterns. Drivers should expect more construction vehicles, barricades and shifting access points near Neyland Drive as the project moves forward.

Work also continues along Alcoa Highway, where drivers may encounter nighttime lane closures between Woodson Drive and Cherokee Trail. Crews are continuing major reconstruction work in the corridor, and traffic pacing may be used at times as equipment and materials move through the work zone.

On Emory Road, construction tied to the diverging diamond interchange project is also ongoing. Shoulder closures remain in place in parts of the corridor, and overnight lane closures may affect travel between Blueberry Road and Dannaher Drive.

Drivers using Rutledge Pike should also be prepared for nighttime construction. Milling and resurfacing work may bring lane closures between Spring Hill Road and Timothy Avenue.

Most of these projects are not short-term fixes, so the best advice is to expect changing conditions rather than one single closure.

If you travel any of these corridors regularly, allow a little extra time, watch for new signs and lane shifts, and check current traffic conditions before heading out — especially at night when much of the work is taking place.

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